Container structure for paste shoe polish, including an applicator



April 2l, 1953 H. L TEN CONTAINER sTRu l w "fg )y fr: l llllllll'm' Patented pr. 21,y 1953 lUNITED STATES y PATENT oFFlca CONTAINER STRUCTURE FOR PASTE SHOE Y POLISH, INCLUDING AN APPLICATOR Howard L. Antan; East Peoria, 111.V

Application January 10, 1950, Serial No. 137,819

3 Claims. 'i

. This invention relates toV a polisher, and more particularly to a polish-applying and polishing vdevice for shoes and the like. The invention is particularly useful in connection with containers for liquids, pastes and solids, and to the combining of an application with the closure of the container while also providing a polishing means mounted on the surface of the container.

Containers having closuresY provided with an applicator have been in general use for. some years and are a convenient means of applying pastes, cosmetics, paints, medicine, etc. In many ca ses` the applicator consists of a brush or rod projecting down from the inside of the closure linto 'the contents of the container while the closure is in place. When the closure is removed from the container some of the contents adheres to the applicator and is thus easily transferred in lrelatively small `amounts to the surface over which it is to be spread.

In the use of applicators for shoe-pastes, etc., considerable difculty has been experienced because `the daubers or applicators ll with the soft solvent-permeated paste material during application, but thereafter are allowed to remain for long ,periods of time exposed to the air so that an evaporation of the solvent takes place and the dauber or applicator becomes encrusted with dry, dusty, or gummy pigment material. Not only can the dauber in this condition not be effectively used for the application of paste, etc., to the shoes because the bristles are wholly occupiedrwith chunksof dry or encrusted material, but also there is a tendency for the encrusted material to be thrown about the room as' the eiort is made to use the` applicator in the applying of fresh amounts of paste. Y

A n object of thepresent invention is to provide a structure in which the dauber or applicator is housed within a hollow-handle portion secured lin air-tight relation to the cover and permitting withdrawal of the applicator within the hollow handle While at the same time providing means `for excluding air from the handle interior. A further object is to provide an improved container closure and polisherA in which therapplicator is free to move within the enclosure ina piston-like manner, and in which the enclosure isprovided with a handle protruding upwardly from its upper surface. Yet another-object isto provide a polisher in which an applicator and polishing` means are supported as unitary portions of the container, the top surface of the closure being extended upwardly to provide a housing for the applicator'. and a portion of the container being equipped with polish-` ing means.

A still further object is to provide an applicator which may be raised and lowered within the hollow handle of the closure while providing means for sealing the handle against the ingress of .air when the applicator is withdrawn, the

closure being made interchangeable with the closures of similar containers. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the speciiication proceeds. V The invention is illustrated in a single illustrative embodiment bythe accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a polisher and structure embodying my invention; Fig. :2, a vertical sectional view, with the closure of the container in elevated position; and Fig. 3, a vertical sectional view showing the applicator in raised position, and showing the handle sealed against the ingress of air. Y In one general phase of my invention I provide a container equipped with an air-tight closure, and I provide the closure with a hollow extension in which an applicator is mounted. Various types of means may be employed Vfor raising or lowering the applicator and for securing it in raised or lowered position, and while lproviding also means for sealing theinterior of the handle or closure against the inflow of air. Further, the container by itself is utilized as a supporting means for the polisher body. l In the specific illustration given the container l0 is provided near its bottom with an 'annular recess Il. Into the annular recess is pressed the end-portion of a polisher strip of sheepskin I2`, equipped with a wool polisher-portion I3. A resilient rubber pad I 4 may be interposed between the bottom of the container I0 and the leather strip I2. It will be understood that any type of polisher material may be employed, and that the leather described is merely illustrative of a number of suitable polisher materialsnthat may be employed. Above the container IB is a closure. I5 having spring walls adapted to tightly engagetlie upper portion of container I0 to form therewithan air-tight seal. If desireda release lever I6 may be pivotally secured to the container I0 upon pivot I'I. The closurel5 is provided centrally with an upwardly-drawn housing portion `I8 adapted to receive the applicator, and preferably the housing I8 is extended in reduced diameter to provide an upper housing I9 closedatthe top. vIn the lspecific illustration given the upper housing is provided with a pair of generally vertical slots 20 having locking end-sets 2I and 22. There is provided between the housing portions I8 and I9 a shoulder 23, the purpose of which will be later described.

Mounted in the housing I3 is a brush applicator 24 secured within a mounting 25, to which is secured a shaft 25. Over the mounting 25 is a rubber disk`21 which extends laterally of the mounting 25 and engages the shoulder 23 to form therewith an air-tight seal when the applicator is drawn to elevated position as illustrated in Fig. 3.

Preferably, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 piston mounting 25 has its upper surface provided with a recess 25a around the outer periphery thereof adjacent the walls of tubular housing I8. The upper surface of piston mounting 25 is thus provided with a raised central portion 25h on the top of which rests sealing disk 21. It will be noted that when applicator '2d is lowered, as shown in Fig. 2, that sealing disk 2l projects outwardly over recess 25a. Preferably the outer edgesof sealing disk 2l are substantially out of contact with the walls of housing I8 when the sealing `disk is out of contact with shoulder 23. However, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3 when the applicator is moved to its fully raised position with sealing disk 2l in tight engagement with shoulder 23, it is preferred that the upper locking slots 22 should be arranged so -that suicientl pressure is exerted on the outer edge portions of sealing disk 21 to fold them downwardly into peripheral recess 25a. The preferred downward folding of the outer edge portions of sealing isk 2l is shown in Fig. 3. This arrangement has been found to be unusually effective in producing a completely airtight seal when ythe applicator is received within the lower portion of housing I3, while at the saine time permitting free movement of the applicator within the housin'g when it is desired to lower it. The maintenance of a completely airtight seal is important in preventing the applicator and polish from drying out.

Fixed to the upper end of the shaft 26v is a cross-pin 28 which extends through the oppositely-disposed slotsfli and is equipped at its ends with' heads 29.

The polisher strip I2 may be secured to the container III by any suitable means. In the specie illustration I have provided a 'Wire ring 30 which is tightly secured so as to'lock the endportions of the leather strip I2 tightly within the annular recess II of the container.

Y Instead of the specific means shown for raising thev applicator it will' be understood that many other mechanical means for accomplishing this result may be employed, and such means are well known to those skilled in the art.

y While I` have shown the closureV and the hous- Y ingk portions I8 and I9formed from a single integralmetal strip, it may be desirable for economy of manufacture to make a portion of the housing, or all' of the housing, of separate portions which may be united by welding or any other suitable means.

' Operation.

In 4the operation of the structure illustrated the lever I6 may be rotated so as to loosen the cover I5,.and the coverv I may be then raisedY as illustrated in Fig. 2; In this position the applicator4 24* may be brought into engagement with the. pastefS-I -or other polish material within the container. Since the pin 28 has been moved downwardly and then swung laterally into the locking sets 2I, the applicator 24 is thus held rigidly within the handle I8 and is effective in picking up a quantity of paste from the container I0. Grasping the handle afforded by the housings I8 and I9, the user may then apply the paste yover the shoes, etc. In this operation his hands are' protectedfrom the'paste by Ithe `'closure shield kAfter the paste, etc., has been applied the user may raise the pin 28 and the shaft 2B to draw the applicator to the position shown in Fig. 3. In the latter position the rubber disk 21 snugly engages the shoulder 23 and prevents the passage of air into the applicator chamber in housing I8 therebelow. Thus it will be seen that there is a complete air-tight seal about the paste itself within the container and about the applicator 23 which contains a portion of the paste. The 4vsolvent is prevented from evaporating`, and when next it is desired to use the applicator and the ap;- plicator is lowered to the position shown in-Fi'g. 2, it is found that the paste held within the brush portion of the vapplicator is still soft and contains its normal amount 'of solvent.

In its elevated position 'the pin 28 tightly en'- gages the locking set 22 and the applicator structure is thus held tightly against movement. Further, the drawing of the applicator brush 23 upwardly tends to squeeze from the brush' soft portions of the paste material so that this again is deposited' upon the paste material withinv the Y container lil.

After the paste has beenapplied to the shoes, etc., the applicator 24 may be withdrawn to 'its upper position as shown in Fig.Y 3 and the closure may' then be pressed upon the container IIJ. Ther-e is thus provided an air-tight closure about the paste and about the applicator. 'The user may then grasp the handle afforded by the housings I8 and I9 and use the container In asa polishing brush by moving it over the' shoes and thus ringing the wool polisher I3 into contact with the surfaces which had just been covered with polish. v With the structure shown it will be noted that there isprovided in a single unitary structure the vpolishapplicator and' brush 'needed for the coinplete shoe-shining operation,I While at the salme time the structure occupies little space, and in the polishing operation there is a minimum of time in which the polish and the applicator are ex'- pos'ed to the air and during which solvent might evaporate. Y

While in the foregoing specification I have setv forth a single illustrative embodiment of the'ivention in considerable detail for the purpose of showing one mode in which the invention may be practiced, such details of structure may be varied widely by those skilled in the art Without depart ing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A closure assembly for af paste shoe polish` container, comprisin'ga closure provided 'centrally with. any upwardly-extending tubular housing arranged to providea handle for saiol'closu're,v said housing' having ank imperforate lower portion equipped with arr inwardly-extending shoulder, alpistonV mounting slidably mounted-in tlielowe'r portion'v of said housing. a brush applicator carried by said piston mounting' and extending downwardly therefrom, said applic'zator being-received within.Y said housing y when said piston mounting is itsi'uppermost position adjacent said shoulder, the upper surface of said piston mounting having a recess around the outer periphery thereof providing a raised central portion, a exible, resilient sealing disk resting on top of said raised central portion and projecting outwardly over said recess, and means extending exteriorly of the housing for raising and lowering said applicator and for locking said applicator in raised position with said sealing disk pressed against said shoulder and the outer edge portion thereof turned downwardly into the peripheral recess of said mounting piston, thereby assuring that an airtight seal is maintained above said applicator when in raised position while permitting said applicator to be freely lowered from within said housing.

2. A closure yassembly for a paste shoe polish container, comprising a downwardly cup-shaped closure provided centrally with an upwardly eX- tending tubular housing arranged to provide a handle for said closure, said housing having an imperforate lower portion equipped with an upwardly-extending shoulder and an upper portion above said shoulder equipped with oppositely-disposed vertically-extending slots having at each end thereof laterally-extending locking seats, a piston mounting slidably mounted in the lower portion of said housing, a brush applicator carried by said piston mounting and extending downwardly therefrom, said applicator being received within said housing when said piston mounting is in its uppermost position against said shoulder. vthe upper surface of said piston mounting having a raised central portion providing a recess around the outer periphery thereof adjacent the walls of said housing, a rubber sealing disk resting on top of said raised central portion and projecting outwardly over said recess but normally being substantially out of contact with the walls of said housing, a shaft of reduced diameter secured to said piston mounting and extending upwardly from the central portion of the upper surface thereof through said sealing disk, a cross-pin carried by said shaft and extending outwardly through said slots in the upper portion of said housing, the outer ends of said cross-pin being equipped with heads cooperating with said locking seats to secure said applicator in its raised iand lowered positions, the upper locking seats being arranged to cause said shoulders to press against said sealing disk and turn the outer edge portions thereof downwardly into the peripheral recess of said mounting piston, thereby assuring that an airtight seal is maintained above said applicator when in raised position while permitting said applicator to be freely lowered from within said housing.

3. In combination with a at container for la paste shoe polish, a closure for said container provided centrally with an upwardly extending hollow housing arranged to p-rovide a handle for said closure, a brush applicator slidably mounted in said housing, means extending exteriorly of said housing for raising and lowering the applicator within the housing, means for sealing said housing about said applicator and said container against the inflow of air when the applicator is raised, said closure being of sufficient width to serve as a handshield when said paste polish is being applied, and a polisher pad secured to the lower portion of said container, whereby there is provided a unitary assembly for polishing shoes.

HOWARD L. AUTEN.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 68,163 Burnet Aug. 27, 1867 558,245 Williams Apr. 14, 1896 571,367 Higgins Nov. 17, 1896 571,456 Reeves Nov. 17, 1896 578,780 Smith Mar. 16, 1897 922,496 Lyon May 25, 1909 1,186,115 Miller June 5r, 1916 2,129,777 McGrath Sept. 13, 1938 2,238,953 Steinmetz Apr. 22, 1941 

